In this file photo, Montana District Judge G. Todd Baugh read a statement in his Billings courtroom explaining his 30-day sentence for a teacher who raped a student.

BILLINGS, Mont. >> Montana prison
officials released a former high school teacher today after he
completed a 30-day sentence for rape that is under review by the state's
high court and has prompted critics to call for the removal of the
judge who oversaw the case.

Stacey Rambold, 54, left the Montana
State Prison in Deer Lodge after serving the term handed down by
District Judge G. Todd Baugh of Billings for the 2007 rape of
14-year-old Cherice Moralez.

The judge drew outrage last month
over the sentence's leniency and comments he made that appeared to pin
some of the blame on Moralez.

State prosecutors are appealing the
sentence, saying Rambold should have received a minimum of two years.
But barring new offenses, the former teacher has served his time and
will stay out of prison pending the appeal.

Rambold was picked up
at the prison by a family member and was expected to return to Billings,
said prison spokeswoman Linda Moodry said. He's been registered as a
level 1 sex offender -- meaning he's considered a low risk to re-offend--
and will remain on probation through 2028 unless the original sentence
is overruled.

Moralez's mother, Auliea Hanlon, said Rambold's
release shows he is "still skating" justice six years after he assaulted
her daughter.

Tears streamed down Hanlon's face as she described
the emotions that have at times overwhelmed her since a church counselor
in whom Moralez confided first told Hanlon about the rape. Moralez
committed suicide in 2010 before Rambold went to trial.

"I figured
he'd be fired, go to jail, and she would be vindicated, and that would
be the end of it," Hanlon said Wednesday. "Instead, here it is six years
later, still going on, and he's getting out. ... He's still skating."

Rambold's
attorney, Jay Lansing, declined to comment on the defendant's release.
Several friends and family members of Rambold also declined to comment.

Under
the terms of his release, Rambold must undergo treatment as a sex
offender, is barred from unsupervised visits with anyone under the age
of 18 and cannot return to teaching or take any other job that involves
overseeing children.

He is required initially to report to his
probation officer in Billings on a weekly basis. That's subject to
change once a risk assessment is completed to determine what level of
long-term supervision Rambold needs, said John Williams, regional
supervisor for the Montana Bureau of Probation and Parole.

In
court documents and during sentencing, Lansing described his client as a
one-time offender with no prior record who took responsibility for his
actions when he admitted to a single count of rape under a 2010 deferred
prosecution agreement that was made after Moralez killed herself.

Hanlon has said Rambold's actions were a "major factor" in the girl's suicide.

The
agreement with prosecutors allowed Rambold to remain free for more than
three years, until he was kicked out of a sex offender treatment
program for unauthorized visits with relatives' children and for not
disclosing that he was in a sexual relationship with a Washington woman.

When
Rambold came back before the court in August, Baugh appeared to show
sympathy for the defendant and agreed with Lansing's recommendation that
Rambold receive a 15-year sentence with all but one month suspended.
Prosecutors had sought a 20-year term with 10 years suspended.

Baugh
also made comments pinning some of the responsibility in the case on
Moralez, whom the judge described as "older than her chronological age."

The
comments sparked outrage among many women's groups, victim's rights
advocates and others, saying the judge was blaming the victim, who had
not reached Montana's age of consent, which is 16.

Prosecutors
said Baugh's lenient sentence was not allowed under a state law that
requires Rambold to serve a mandatory minimum of two years in prison.

A
formal complaint to have Baugh removed from the bench for alleged bias
is pending before the state Judicial Standards Commission.

Hanlon
said her focus remains on Rambold and the appeal of his sentence, which
prosecutors said could take six to 18 months to work its way through the
Montana Supreme Court.

For years, Hanlon said she carried around a
photograph of her daughter's rapist, so she would recognize him if they
ever crossed paths. With his return to Billings, Hanlon said she likely
would walk away if she encountered him now.

"I considered going down to the jail to forgive him, but I don't know," she said. "I'm still waiting for a sign from God."

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Slowwrote:

Montana is weeelly scary. Especially for 14 year old girls. 30 days? In cowboy country it's the girl's fault. Heck, she looked 16. Perfectly normal in cowboy country, a 54 year old stud and a 14 year old woman.

on September 26,2013 | 07:31AM

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cojefwrote:

Am very surprised that our dear friend "Allie" has not posted any comments relating the the heinious crime committed by this teacher, and especially of the judge in the case, since she is presumed to have been born in this locality (Mandan country). Some people become feeble-minded at an early age and Judge Baugh is one of these species. It's time for him to resign while he still able.

on September 26,2013 | 08:23AM

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Ulaleiwrote:

30 day sentence for rape? outrageous. just another byproduct of teachers unions and top-heavy government bureaucracy.

on September 26,2013 | 08:42AM

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poidragonwrote:

How is this a 'byproduct' of teachers unions and bloated government? This decision was offered by a judge on the judicial bench or can't you read a simple article? What this is, is a total travesty of justice and both the rapist and judge should be held accountable for their actions!